Allow older versions of games to be played

[Koz'zix]

This should be a feature for all games that are not online. Playing an older version of any game someone has purchased. The automatic update is bad enough, but not being able to go back to a previous version on top of that is not good. Once again, any game not played in online multiplayer should have an option as to which updates one plays with or without.

[Snapjak]

Beta branches exist and allow developers to do exactly that. It's already there, games already use it, so ask the devs to put in old versions as a beta.

[Crazy Tiger]

Yep, as Snapjak mentions, that functionality is already there. Not many devs use it, though, because they want you to be on the last version.

I believe that PAradox uses it, so people can stay on older versions.

[wuddih]

https://www.reddit.com/r/Steam/comments/611h5e/guide_how_to_download_older_versions_of_a_game_on/

do not expect support.

[LowJack_VA1]

I think for support reasons, it makes sense to have the customers on the latest update.

[nullable]

Not to mention people wouldn't bother to mention which version of the game they were running if they were given an option and decided to post support questions anyway... because half the time people forget to use nouns when asking questions, or throw any relevant information in, and now version numbers too? Forget it. Terrible idea.

[76561198407601200]

Originally posted by atmdusty1301:

This should be a feature for all games that are not online. Playing an older version of any game someone has purchased. The automatic update is bad enough, but not being able to go back to a previous version on top of that is not good. Once again, any game not played in online multiplayer should have an option as to which updates one plays with or without.

https://store.steampowered.com/subscriber_agreement/

A. General Content and Services License

Steam and your Subscription(s) require the download and installation of Content and Services onto your computer. Valve hereby grants, and you accept, a non-exclusive license and right, to use the Content and Services for your personal, non-commercial use (except where commercial use is expressly allowed herein or in the applicable Subscription Terms). This license ends upon termination of (a) this Agreement or (b) a Subscription that includes the license. The Content and Services are licensed, not sold. Your license confers no title or ownership in the Content and Services. To make use of the Content and Services, you must have a Steam Account and you may be required to be running the Steam client and maintaining a connection to the Internet.

For reasons that include, without limitation, system security, stability, and multiplayer interoperability, Steam may need to automatically update, pre-load, create new versions of or otherwise enhance the Content and Services and accordingly, the system requirements to use the Content and Services may change over time. You consent to such automatic updating. You understand that this Agreement (including applicable Subscription Terms) does not entitle you to future updates, new versions or other enhancements of the Content and Services associated with a particular Subscription, although Valve may choose to provide such updates, etc. in its sole discretion.

You agreed to updates in the ssa.

[Dr.Shadowds 🐉]

You can download the older version if you want. As Snapjak said, Devs/Pubs have the options to use the beta branches, and make it easiler on you, instead most of them choose not to do it, they rather you have the newest version possible.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqhWQPw1x4A
https://www.reddit.com/r/Steam/comments/611h5e/guide_how_to_download_older_versions_of_a_game_on/

Break the update
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UdzSNJeZik

https://steamdb.info/

[Koz'zix]

Originally posted by The Living Tribunal:

Originally posted by atmdusty1301:

This should be a feature for all games that are not online. Playing an older version of any game someone has purchased. The automatic update is bad enough, but not being able to go back to a previous version on top of that is not good. Once again, any game not played in online multiplayer should have an option as to which updates one plays with or without.

https://store.steampowered.com/subscriber_agreement/

A. General Content and Services License

Steam and your Subscription(s) require the download and installation of Content and Services onto your computer. Valve hereby grants, and you accept, a non-exclusive license and right, to use the Content and Services for your personal, non-commercial use (except where commercial use is expressly allowed herein or in the applicable Subscription Terms). This license ends upon termination of (a) this Agreement or (b) a Subscription that includes the license. The Content and Services are licensed, not sold. Your license confers no title or ownership in the Content and Services. To make use of the Content and Services, you must have a Steam Account and you may be required to be running the Steam client and maintaining a connection to the Internet.

For reasons that include, without limitation, system security, stability, and multiplayer interoperability, Steam may need to automatically update, pre-load, create new versions of or otherwise enhance the Content and Services and accordingly, the system requirements to use the Content and Services may change over time. You consent to such automatic updating. You understand that this Agreement (including applicable Subscription Terms) does not entitle you to future updates, new versions or other enhancements of the Content and Services associated with a particular Subscription, although Valve may choose to provide such updates, etc. in its sole discretion.

You agreed to updates in the ssa.

As if anyone actually reads that. That is beside the point anyway. This is a feature Steam could and should allow. Hence, a thread asking for them to do it.
Steam should want to give their customers a way to play games how they want especially if it does not effect anyone else's experience. Steam is a platform in competition with other platforms now. Hell, I should go and tell Epic to do this and they can have it as a feature. They might actually be interested in making cheap easy fixes to their platform that would appease customers.

P.S. I just find it funny that the reason PC is or could be considered the best way to play video games is because of the control gamers have over their own experiences from mods to hacks to older versions. To think a company would want to limit the definitive advantage they have for really no good reason is just funny.

[Crazy Tiger]

Originally posted by atmdusty1301:

Originally posted by The Living Tribunal:

https://store.steampowered.com/subscriber_agreement/

You agreed to updates in the ssa.

As if anyone actually reads that. That is beside the point anyway.

People who don't read it only fool themselves. No matter whether you actually read it, you agreed to all of it when you made your account.

Originally posted by atmdusty1301:

This is a feature Steam could and should allow. Hence, a thread asking for them to do it.

The origin of Steam lies in the automatic updating Valve wanted for their games.

Originally posted by atmdusty1301:

Steam should want to give their customers a way to play games how they want especially if it does not effect anyone else's experience.

If said customers would handle things responsibly, it might be a possibility. But time and time again people who have issues don't try to update, mention what version they're on and make support from both users and devs harder than is necessary. Certainly when complaints often are fixed in later updates anyway.

Originally posted by atmdusty1301:

Steam is a platform in competition with other platforms now. Hell, I should go and tell Epic to do this and they can have it as a feature. They might actually be interested in making cheap easy fixes to their platform that would appease customers.

Go knock yourself out. Epic probably will add it to their roadmap to be delivered in 2-4 years or so.

Originally posted by atmdusty1301:

P.S. I just find it funny that the reason PC is or could be considered the best way to play video games is because of the control gamers have over their own experiences from mods to hacks to older versions. To think a company would want to limit the definitive advantage they have for really no good reason is just funny.

There is a good reason, to make sure people have the same version, the latest version (with all fixes) and to make support easier.

As said before, developers can choose to create beta branches. Stellaris (made by Paradox), for example, has this.

[B l u e b e r r y P o p t a r t]

The entire point of games always up to date is to keep everyone on the same version and not run multiple versions when something is fixed or patched.

You can ask the devs to put up a beta branch to run a certain version or get the game off Steam.

[LowJack_VA1]

It simply doesn't make sense to have developers support older software. Its expensive for them. The older the software the more expensive it is to support it. Which is why we have OS beyond DOS 5.

[76561198407601200]

Originally posted by atmdusty1301:

Originally posted by The Living Tribunal:

https://store.steampowered.com/subscriber_agreement/



You agreed to updates in the ssa.

As if anyone actually reads that. That is beside the point anyway.

But again, you have agreed to it, regardless if you read it, hence why the system is the way it is intended to be.

[Brian9824]

Originally posted by atmdusty1301:

Originally posted by The Living Tribunal:

https://store.steampowered.com/subscriber_agreement/



You agreed to updates in the ssa.

As if anyone actually reads that. That is beside the point anyway. This is a feature Steam could and should allow. Hence, a thread asking for them to do it.
Steam should want to give their customers a way to play games how they want especially if it does not effect anyone else's experience. Steam is a platform in competition with other platforms now. Hell, I should go and tell Epic to do this and they can have it as a feature. They might actually be interested in making cheap easy fixes to their platform that would appease customers.

P.S. I just find it funny that the reason PC is or could be considered the best way to play video games is because of the control gamers have over their own experiences from mods to hacks to older versions. To think a company would want to limit the definitive advantage they have for really no good reason is just funny.

Steam already does allow it. It's up to the dev's to use it and they can't force the dev's to implement it so you need to ask them.

[Koz'zix]

Holy smokes.
No one reads the terms of service for a multitude of reasons and one of them being an actually good one. Are you a lawyer? Do you have legal experience? No, then taking the time to read through the terms will take an incredible amount of time and also still not equip the reader with the necessary information unless it is translated into layman terms.
Besides that, MY POINT is Steam and developers should rethink the policy of not allowing their customers to switch versions. Which means this entire posting has nothing to do with terms of service as it is a suggestion.
Also, it does not cost developers anything to "support" older versions because they will not. There is no reason for them to provide support to fix problems on older versions as they should only being dealing with their latest updates. Not to mention, people worried about which version they are playing most likely know enough to find simple enough answers on their own.

[Brian9824]

Originally posted by atmdusty1301:

Holy smokes.
No one reads the terms of service for a multitude of reasons and one of them being an actually good one. Are you a lawyer? Do you have legal experience? No, then taking the time to read through the terms will take an incredible amount of time and also still not equip the reader with the necessary information unless it is translated into layman terms.
Besides that, MY POINT is Steam and developers should rethink the policy of not allowing their customers to switch versions. Which means this entire posting has nothing to do with terms of service as it is a suggestion.
Also, it does not cost developers anything to "support" older versions because they will not. There is no reason for them to provide support to fix problems on older versions as they should only being dealing with their latest updates. Not to mention, people worried about which version they are playing most likely know enough to find simple enough answers on their own.

Again steam has already implemented this feature. This is a suggestions board for features for STEAM not for developers.

They cannot force developers to provide files and branches for older versions and cannot set it up for them. Only the developers can do that.